High school football season is 9 weeks away, but 2011 schedules can now be found on highschoolsports.net and ohsaa.org. With that in mind, I'd like to take a look at schedule changes and notes of interest for each area team, beginning today with Lake County.

FAIRPORT (Div.6,CVC Valley)-No changes to the Skippers' schedule-they will play the same 10 teams as last year. Fairport last had a winning season in 2003, when they went 6-4 playing in the ESC. A 6-4 record against their current schedule could get them into the playoffs, as they once again play just 3 schools their own size (Newbury,Richmond Hts, and Windham).

HARVEY (Div.2,CVC Chagrin)-One change-out is Conneaut, in is Kirtland. This means the Red Raiders will play 9 of their 10 games against CVC schools, the other being archrival Riverside. Harvey last had a winning season in 2006, going 6-4 in the NEC.

KIRTLAND (Div.5,CVC Valley)-Out are Geneva,Jefferson, and Bay. In are Beloit West Branch, Harvey, and Orange. Like Harvey, the Hornets will play 9 of their 10 games in the CVC. The Hornets have had 5 straight winning seasons, making the playoffs in 4 of them.

LAKE CATHOLIC (Div.3,NCL Blue)-Out are St.Ignatius, North, Holy Name, and Central Catholic. Replacing them are Strongsville, Ravenna, Youngstown Mooney, and Avon. Just 3 Saturday games for the Cougars this year, who once had a schedule full of them. Lake Catholic has had just 2 losing seasons in the last 23.

MADISON (Div.2,PAC)-Gone from the schedule are Normandy, Padua, and Edgewood. New to the Blue Streaks' slate are Cortland Lakeview, Brush, and new PAC member University. The Blue Streaks have suffered only 3 losing seasons in the last 21.

MENTOR (Div.1,NOC Valley)-The Cardinals have made the only league change in Lake County, going from the LEL to the NOC. Mentor will trade St.Edward, Massillon, South, Warren Harding, Shaker Hts., and Cleveland Hts. from the schedule for Youngstown Ursuline, Mayfield, Parma, Brunswick, Medina, and Twinsburg. The meeting with Mayfield will be the first since 1992. Brunswick, Medina, Solon, Strongsville, and Twinsburg are the Cardinals' Valley opponents. Mentor has had 3 losing seasons in the last 31.

NORTH (Div.1,PAC)-The Rangers will no longer play West Geauga, Bishop Ryan Catholic, or Lake Catholic. Midpark is on the slate for this year, along with new PAC teams University and Geneva.The annual Civil War with South will played in Week 10, on a Thursday night. North last had a winning season in 2004, finishing 6-4.

PERRY (Div.4, CVC Chagrin)-The Pirates make just one schedule change-replacing Jefferson with Lakeside. Perry, who will play 6 home games this year, has had a mere 2 losing seasons in the last 31. The D4 Pirates will play 7 games out of their 10 against teams that are either D1 or D2-Riverside,Lakeside,Madison,West Geauga,Harvey,Kenston, and Aurora.

RIVERSIDE (Div.1, PAC)-The Beavers, in Year 2 of the Dave Bors era, will also make just one schedule change-Austintown Fitch is out and new PAC member University is in. Riverside once again will play 5 Lake County schools-Perry,Harvey,North, South, and Madison. The Beavers last had a winning season in 2007, finishing 7-3 before suffering a first round playoff lost to Mentor.

SOUTH (Div.1,PAC)-Alliance, Euclid, and Mentor are no longer on the Rebels' schedule. On the schedule this year are NDCL, West Geauga, and new PAC member (but longtime Rebel foe) Geneva. South plays 2 Thursday night games this season-at Lakeside and at home against North. 8 of the last 10 seasons have been winning ones for South, including 5 trips to the playoffs.

WICKLIFFE (Div.4, CVC Chagrin)-Instead of Castalia Margaretta and West Geauga, the Blue Devils will face Brooklyn and Hawken this season. The struggling Blue Devils, who haven't had a winning season since 2003 (6-4), hope to move to the CVC Metro in the near future. Meanwhile, they will continue to face 3 D2 schools (Aurora, Harvey, and Kenston). On the other hand, they will also play 3 D5 schools and a D6 (Brooklyn,Chanel, Hawken and Richmond Hts).

  There will be 15 Lake County intra-county games this year:

Week 1-Fairport at Harvey, Riverside at Perry
Week 2-Kirtland at Harvey
Week 3-Harvey at Riverside, Madison at Perry
Week 4-None
Week 5-Harvey at Wickliffe, North at Riverside
Week 6-Perry at Harvey, North at Madison
Week 7-Madison at South
Week 8-None
Week 9-Kirtland at Fairport, Wickliffe at Perry, South at Riverside
Week 10-Riverside at Madison, North at South